Man Faces Murder Charges in Relation to Infant Death in Twin Falls

TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) A Magic Valley man is facing multiple felony charges, including first degree murder, in relation to the death of an infant in Twin Falls last year.

Twin Falls Police arrested Joshua Molina on Tuesday and he was arraigned on Wednesday. In addition to the murder allegations, he faces four separate felony injury to child charges.

According to an arrest affidavit, Molina and his girlfriend brought the 20-month-old child to the hospital with several injuries. At the time both claimed they were from seizures.

The child was flown to Boise for treatment, but later died from the injuries. An autopsy showed the infant had multiple fractures on its arm, cracked ribs, a lacerated liver and a fractured skill.

According to court documents, a pediatrician told police they didn’t think the injuries were caused by seizures, but from “non-accidental blunt-force trauma.” The doctor also told police the injuries likely took place over the span of two months because of varied levels of healing.

In February and March of this year police interviewed the child’s mother, Monlina’s girlfriend. Court documents claim that she told police that she and Molina came up with a story to tell law enforcement. She told police she was “in shock and overwhelmed and agreed to cover a story.”

In those interviews she told police she discovered bruises and sprains after leaving the infant with Molina. She told police of one instance where she left the child with Molina and when she returned Molina claimed two other children — both were 3 years old at the time — beat up the infant. A pediatrician later told police that the injuries “could not have been caused by small children.”

The mother told police they waited to take the infant to the hospital at Molina’s insistence. She said the child was having seizures and Molina had tried to give it marijuana to treat them. She said they both feared punishment if the child tested positive for marijuana.

Molina is being held without bond. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 5.